Rejection hits the spirit hard and in the last 10 days I have received seven. Email after email stating that my time and effort to apply was appreciated, but they weren’t moving forward with my application or moving onto an interview. Some were more straightforward while some were more encouraging. In some cases, at least, it was clear that my resume and cover letter had been looked at.
Each rejection feels less like a professional detour and more like a personal verdict, slowly eroding the confidence I once held. I feel small, unseen, and increasingly convinced that my value has vanished in the eyes of the world. While my mind remains logical—insisting that I stay the course and honor the years I’ve invested in this professional path—my spirit is simply tired.
Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.[a] (Proverbs 3:3-6 NIV).
Feeling discouraged makes it easier to give up than trust the path. Months of applications with double digit rejections amplifies doubt making trust more and more difficult. Yet, if I move my focus to the many times God has made my paths straight, the many times God has brought me through challenges greater than this, my heart calms. I find new strength.
Rejection can tear us down. It is not a place we are meant to stay. It is temporary. It is not who we are. Focusing on God’s love and faithfulness grounds me and gives me renewed strength.
What do you do when feeling rejected? Share your story here and breathe life and bring hope to others.